


this is our place, we make the rules

by danverspotsticker



Series: soft and kind, tara survives, verse [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: F/F, Minor Andrew Wells/Jonathan Levinson, Minor Angel/Buffy Summers, Minor Rupert Giles/Jenny Calendar, Minor Xander Harris/Anya Jenkins, gays and game night what more could u want
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26167249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danverspotsticker/pseuds/danverspotsticker
Summary: biweekly game nights. willow and tara foster a kid. another ascension occurs.
Relationships: Tara Maclay/Willow Rosenberg
Series: soft and kind, tara survives, verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1900225
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	this is our place, we make the rules

Kennedy and Andrew are arguing about…  _ something _ . Tara can’t really bring herself to care about what it is when she’s half asleep curled into her wife’s side. Especially when it was a wet and cold day and Willow is so soft and she’s pretty sure that the cause of the argument is them trying to figure out which of them did worse at the game that’s flickering on tv in the dim light of this Saturday evening.

Tara hears Faith’s laugh before she hears her words. “Is Maclay still with us or has she been lost to the world already?”

At the same time, both Willow and Tara respond, “Rosenberg-Maclay.”

Jenny cackles in response and Faith groans. “Could the two of you attempt to not do that  _ every _ time?”

Tara snorts into Willow’s neck and Willow says, “Stop calling her Maclay and we’ll talk.”

Dawn pitches in, “I think it’s cute.”

Kennedy scoffs. “You think it’s cute because they’re basically your moms.”

Dawn glares playfully at Kennedy. “The only reason you think it isn’t cute is because you fluctuated between having feelings for the two of them for like two years.”

Kennedy holds a hand to her chest while Tara laughs into Willow’s shoulder and Willow grows bright red. Buffy interrupts her sister, “Enough of the deep cuts for tonight, Dawnie.”

Kennedy smirks and says, “I’m gonna have to agree with Buffy on that one.”

Dawn laughs and nods. “Fine.”

Tara is still laughing, muffled by Willow’s neck and Jenny rolls her eyes at them. “I love the both of you, but you two do tend to be on the sickening side of the romantic slider.”

Willow snorts. “Just say you miss Giles and regret not going to England with him for the week, Jenny, don’t take it out on us.”

Jenny smirks. “I miss Giles, but the two of you haven’t been this amount of hard to deal with since the two of you were taking turns running to me panicking about your feelings that everyone except one another could see.” 

Tara groans and Willow blushes as they both pull away from each other to say, “You went to Jenny?”

The room groans at the synchronicity and they both shake their heads. Willow’s eyes widen,  _ “Did you kiss me for the first time because of Jenny’s advice?” _

Tara blushes and guiltily says,  _ “No…” _

Jenny confirms, “No, she didn’t. If she had, you two would’ve started dating much sooner than you did.”

Willow shrugs, “Who knows, maybe I could’ve made the first move.”

That even makes Angel laugh, and Willow glares at the room. “I hate all of you.”

Tara pulls back to kiss Willow’s temple. “I love you, darling, but you making the first move is about as likely as Buffy and Angel clearly communicating.”

Both Buffy and Angel’s voices ring out with,  _ “Hey.” _

Tara shrugs as she laughs softly. “Sorry, I thought we were at the lovingly calling each other out portion of the evening…”

Willow smiles. “You  _ technically  _ made the first move, but we wouldn’t be together if you were insistent on your plan, which was kiss me and frantically apologize.”

Tara rolls her eyes affectionately. “You were straight for all I knew.”

Willow scoffs. “I was as not straight as I could get without telling you  _ hey I want to make out with you.” _

Tara smiles and says, “If I recall, you did get to that after I kissed you.”

Andrew snorts. “You two spend too much time on the line between gross and sweet.”

The both of them accept that with a shrug and a nod.

*

_ Tara’s ears are burning as she tries to look anywhere but Willow’s lips. She knows Willow is straight, in the first couple weeks of their friendship, a lot of their conversation revolved around the proof of that. But still, the same part of her that hoped for months as she watched her mother deteriorate that magic might change its rules and let her save her mom, hopes that maybe, she isn’t imagining the way Willow seems to gravitate towards her in a room.  _

_ The thing is, Tara has been gay her whole life. She’s been through the pretty best friend, am I imagining this thing before. This feels different. Being invited to Scooby meetings and watching Ms. Calendar and Xander tease Willow for her excessive explanations to help keep Tara in the loop feels a little more intimate than friendship. Things like holding hands in laundry rooms in silence, staring into each other’s eyes long after they can speak again seems different. Floating a rose and tethering her to the physical plane and sitting sweaty across from each other in a candle lit room breathing heavily seems different than simple misread friendship. _

_ But, the point is that Tara’s been somewhere like this before. She’s known the girl who seems like she’s giving off signals and then when she kisses her, she ruins their friendship. It wasn’t a good time when Tara was 17, though admittedly she’d known exactly how self-destructive kissing her high school best friend was when she did it. That was the real reason she actually went through with it. But Willow is different, and ruining her growing friendship with Willow for the chance at  _ something _ is terrifying, but Tara thinks it would be worth it. _

_ Especially right now, with Willow babbling about how she thinks she could restring the lights in Tara’s dorm for maximum starlight patterns. Willow talks about so many things in a matter of seconds and every time she does Tara wonders how she’s made it this far without kissing her. Because Willow is so wonderful, and every time she finishes Tara’s stutter, it isn’t malicious like every other person she’s ever met. When Willow babbles, Tara feels like she probably gets not being able to control where her sentences go when she starts them, and that makes the completing her sentences for her warm and welcoming rather than anxiety inducing. Tara just likes Willow a lot, and sitting next to her in just the fairy lights of her dorm when she can feel the way Willow shifts next to her every time she finds a new idea, it’s getting increasingly hard not to just kiss her. _

_ Willow says something, and because Tara was too focused on not being obviously gay while she was thinking about her, Tara misses it. She has been looking at Willow the whole time, but in the way Willow tilts her head at her, it’s very likely that Willow has noticed the lack of attention being paid to her meticulous light stringing plans. Willow wrinkles her nose as she realizes. “I’ve been talking about this too long, haven’t I?” _

_ Tara shakes her head before Willow finishes talking. “Definitely n-not, it’s just, uh…” Tara kind of wants to take the leap, as dangerous as it seems right now. “Willow?” _

_ “Tara?” And there’s a brightness in Willow’s eyes that’s always there when she responds to Tara and Tara, terrified and heart beating so loud she thinks Willow might be able to hear it, leans in and presses her lips against Willow’s. _

_ She gets a little too wrapped up in the thought that this choice is a decided mistake to realize that Willow is kissing back. She pulls away and refuses to meet Willow’s eyes as she stutters out, “S-sorry, I… I sh-sh-sh, uh, shouldn’t have d-d-” _

_ Tara already thinks that Willow is pretty much the best person to finish her sentences when her stuttering gets a little too much. But, in her opinion, when Willow smiles at her and shakes her head only to lean back in and rest her hands on Tara’s neck to kiss her, Tara thinks Willow has found a very good way to get her to stop stuttering. _

_ When she pulls back she’s beaming at Tara and Tara is smiling right back. Willow says, “That was…” _

_ Tara tilts her head. “Nice?” _

_ Willow nods, laughing. “The nicest.” _

_ Tara watches some conflict build behind Willow’s eyes and rushes to say, “It’s okay.” _

_ Willow smiles at her and shakes her head. “No, I know that. Just, very loud head time right now.” _

_ Tara smiles softly, letting her hand trail through Willow’s short hair. “Do you want to share?” _

_ Willow shrugs. “Just, that was very nice, which definitely means more introspective thought about things. But right now, I kinda just want to kiss you again, if that is something you would also be interested in doing.” _

_ Tara laughs at the formal proposal. “Yes, Willow. I would be very interested in kissing you again.” _

_ Willow beams, leaning forward and whispering, “Awesome.” _

_ She closes the distance again and her lips are so soft and Tara feels so warm and  _ somehow _ Willow likes her too. _

*

Willow groans as she stares at the pile of dishes leftover once the crowd has dissipated. “I know it helps the environment, but just once could we use disposable dishes?”

At Tara’s playful yet withering glare, Willow nods. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Tara comes into the kitchen with the last armful of dishes. “I think it might be time for us to consider letting our slayer friends go. Between the three of them, I don’t think we’ll ever run out of dishes to wash.”

Willow laughs, “Tragically, I think you might be right.” 

Tara smiles. “Do you have the dishes? I’m gonna go deal with the rug that Faith is intent on destroying.”

Willow snorts. “Yeah, and I actually think it was Jonathan this week.”

Tara grins. “Fantastic.”

Willow shrugs, “Well, hey. At least we’ll have this down by the time we have kids.”

Tara raises an eyebrow and teasingly asks, “Mrs. Rosenberg-Maclay, is there something you want to tell me?”

Willow teases back, “I don’t know, Mrs. Rosenberg-Maclay, could it be something we’ve had many conversations about?”

Tara shakes her head. “You’ll tell me when you want to start actively looking into it?”

Willow smiles sweetly. “And you’ll tell me. That’s what we agreed on.”

Tara nods. “I know, I just…”

Willow tilts her head. “Occasionally rival my neurosis?”

Tara places a hand on Willow’s cheek, stroking her face with one thumb. “Darling, I love you. But no one can rival your neurosis.”

Willow pulls away, feigning woundedness. “Go clean our rug…”

Tara laughs and replies, “Go clean our dishes.”

Willow nods and does just that. Humming an unnameable song as she listens to Tara’s occasionally frustrated sighs. She is finishing the last few dishes when she feels Tara move her hair aside to start kissing down her neck. “I thought you wanted me to finish the dishes?”

Tara hums against her neck. “I do, I think you can finish three more and then we can, uh, work on that kid thing.”

Willow laughs. “Somehow I don’t think we’ll get very far with that, honey.”

Tara moves behind Willow’s ear and laughs. “There’s no harm in trying…”

Willow lets her eyes fall closed for a moment, “ _ Definitely _ not.”

Quickly rinsing out the sink, Willow turns around to capture her wife’s lips in a deep kiss. “I love you, and any kids we end up having.”

Tara smiles against her lips. “Maybe less of the kids talk now.”

Willow hums as Tara pulls her the rest of the way to their bedroom.

*

Willow has had a decidedly terrible day, there were a few too many near slayer deaths, she didn’t get to see her wife, and currently her and Faith are getting their asses handed to them by Jenny and Xander as they play Smash. Angel laughing at Faith every time she falls off the stage and can’t get back on is making it a little better. But Faith is on her team so it’s only funny until Faith gets herself eliminated and Willow is left alone to play against Xander who has played video games since they were tiny and Jenny who’s specific brand of magic abilities lie in computers, so Willow is always decidedly screwed. She voices her suspicions while she frantically moves Isabelle across the stage as she runs from the onslaught of Xander’s Donkey Kong and Jenny’s Zelda. “Y’know, Jenny, I think it might be a little unfair for you, with the whole technopagan thing, to be playing this.”

Jenny snorts as she moves Zelda to knock Isabelle off the stage. “Maybe if you didn’t choose a character based on the fact that she reminds you of your wife…”

Faith laughs before Willow can retort. “Funny, Jenn. But you say that like you didn’t finish your museum in Animal Crossing in about five seconds because that british owl is  _ your _ spouse in video game form.”

Xander chuckles as he deals a final blow to the yellow cartoon dog and Willow groans. Jenny and Xander high five as Willow turns her head to glare at Faith. As Willow starts to rant about Faith’s inability to be helpful in any capacity when they play Smash, the front door to the house opens and Tara walks through. Faith turns away from Willow’s ranting to look at her. “T! Thank god you’re here. Can you tell your wife to stop being so serious about video games?”

Tara looks over and Willow sees  _ something _ in her face that sparks concern but Tara doesn’t mention it so Willow doesn’t either. But then Tara speaks, and riddled with a stutter that hasn’t been present around these people - around her family - in years, she says, “W-Willow, stop b-b-being so serious about video g-games.”

She’s smiling, but everyone in the room notes the stutter and Angel speaks up. “Are you okay?”

Tara smiles, looking down at the concern and nods noncommittally. “Y-yeah. Just a little too much th-thinking today.”

Willow tilts her head from her place on the couch and Tara looks to her, mouthing  _ ‘later’. _

Jenny catches the exchange. “Or we could be adult-like and leave you two alone in your house so you can solve problems?”

Xander nods but makes a joke to lighten the weight of the new mood. “It’ll be hard for me and Faith, but I think the two of us could manage to be adults for a couple minutes for you, Tare.”

Tara laughs and Xander internally congratulates himself as he grabs his wallet from the table in front of him. Frog, who’d taken up the space next to him in the arm chair he was occupying, meows in refusal as Xander starts to leave. “Sorry, Frog. I’m still allergic to you, bud.”

And their four friends leave, and Willow and Tara are left alone with their horde of cats. Willow smiles softly. “Tea and talking kind of too much thinking or  _ distraction _ too much thinking?”

Tara smiles back. “Tea and talking, please.”

Willow jumps up from her spot on the couch and walks over to Tara, kissing her softly. “I’ve got the tea, you can go sit down and be consumed by our cats.”

Tara laughs and kisses Willow again before she pulls away to sit on the couch, petting Trixie when she immediately takes up residence in her lap. Willow hums from the nearby kitchen and says, “You can start talking without the tea now if you want, I’m all ears.”

Tara nods and shifts so she can look over the back of the couch at her wife. “One of the minislayers - Alexis.”

Willow tilts her head as she leans against the counter, waiting for the water to boil. “Did she do something?”

Tara laughs, “No, she’s 15.”

Willow shrugs, widening her eyes in emphasis. “You remember Dawn when she was 15…”

Tara snorts, “Yes, I do. But, anyway, Alexis has been living in the dorms for the past few years because her parents are the kind that shouldn’t be.”

Willow watches the way her shoulders tense and says, “I love you.”

Tara smiles over the couch at Willow. “I love you, too.”

Willow smiles and tries to ignore the fact that the tips of her ears still turn red every time she gets that confirmation. “Alexis lives in the dorms?”

Tara nods, “Yeah. But, uh, her parents are dead now, I don’t know when she found out, I just know Kennedy only found out today when a social worker showed up at the Council.”

Willow grimaces and picks up the two cups of tea, “Yowch.”

Tara hums tightly as she watches Willow place the cups on the coffee table in front of them and sits next to her. “Yeah. Since her parents are no longer able to consent to her attending the academy, we’re going to have to wait for her to get a good foster family before she can come back and -”

Willow tilts her head, eyes shining with love as she looks at her wife and interrupts her, “And you want to foster her.”

Tara pauses her words to look back at Willow, amazed. “I -” Tara shakes her head. “Yeah, yeah I do.”

Willow smiles at her wife as she pushes a cascade of blonde hair behind her ear. “Well, we’ll have to take a few fostering classes but they offer them at the public high school at night, and we’ll also have to declutter the spare bedroom, but okay.”

Tara smiles back and furrows her eyebrows. “How and why do you know that off-hand?”

Willow looks lovingly exasperated. “Tara if we could afford it you would bring home as many stray mini-slayers as I do cats.”

Tara looks down, embarrassed. Willow stops her by pulling her chin up to kiss her briefly. “It’s one of my favourite things about you.”

Tara’s eyes are wet as she smiles at Willow. “You’re the best wife in the world, you know?”

Willow shrugs and shakes her head, gazing into Tara’s eyes. “I have some pretty stiff competition.”

Tara scoffs avoidantly and Willow laughs. “You thought I was talking about you? This is awkward…”

Tara shakes her head. “You better not have another wife, you dork.”

Willow smiles warmly and leans in to kiss her wife. Tara hums into the kiss and when they both pull back she has a dopey smile on her face. She leans her forehead against Willow’s. “So, we're going to attempt this whole motherhood thing?”

Willow laughs. “I guess we are, yeah.”

Tara laughs with her and smiles. “I love you, always.”

Willow smiles and shakes her head happily. “I love you, too. Always.”

A flash of conflict crosses Tara’s face and she says, “Willow, we’ve never…”

Willow entwines her fingers with Tara’s. “No, we haven’t. But I trust you, and I have this inkling that you might trust me. Plus, Dawn turned out pretty okay despite our interference. We can do this, as long as you want to.”

Tara smiles through her hair nods. “We can.”

Willow beams at her and Tara pulls her in to kiss her again. “I’m so glad you married me.”

Willow grins. “I’m so glad you kissed me back in those dorms.”

*

Willow is fluttering through the house, adjusting house plants and shooing the cats away from the piano and the couches while Tara watches her from one of said couches. “Is this helping you?”

Willow pauses in her freakage to look at her wife. “Sorry?”

Tara smiles. “Is the freaking out helping you calm down?”

Willow looks back to the plant she was adjusting. “Genuinely? A little.”

Tara nods. “Then carry on.”

Willow decides against it and sits next to Tara on the couch. “I’m just nervous.”

Tara hums and Willow continues. “I mean, it’s not like they’ll be mad or that we’re doing something wrong or that this is coming from nowhere it’s just…”

Tara intertwines their fingers. “Once Buffy and Xander know, it’s real?”

Willow sighs, squeezing Tara’s hand. “Yeah. I’m excited, and I care about Alexis already. It’s just... new. And that’s scary.”

Tara leans over to kiss Willow’s temple. “Pretty scary. But England was scary, and our wedding was a little scary, and those both turned out pretty wonderfully.”

Willow smiles. “Yeah.”

They sit in comfortable silence until they hear the first knock on the door and both stand to greet the first of their guests in the doorway as they open it. Kennedy is in front of them with a six pack grasped in each hand. She smirks at them, “Huh… I’ve had this dream before.”

Willow groans and jokingly goes to close the door before Tara stops her. “Come in, Kenn.”

Kennedy snorts. “In all seriousness, you’re telling the Scoobs about Alexis today?”

Tara nods. “That’s the plan, as long as Will doesn’t pass out on me.”

Kennedy laughs and Willow, who has taken the six packs and set them on the coffee table in the centre of the room, looks back at both of them. “I don’t like it when the two of you get along.”

Tara grins. “Sure, you don’t.”

Willow shakes her head as the doorbell rings and the rest of their guests start to arrive.

Once everyone is there, Willow is getting some very skeptical looks from many of the scoobies. Dawn, the one probably as equally prone to panic as she is, blurts out. “Neither of you are sick or anything, right?”

Tara smiles softly at her. “No, Dawnie, we’re fine.”

Dawn nods, and Tara notices that a few of the others also let out subtle breaths of relief. She turns to Willow and mouths  _ you ready? _ Willow nods in response and before they can start, Faith interrupts, “What? Did Red knock you up or something?”

Tara playfully glares at Faith. “You’re so funny.” 

Faith grins. “Just trying to keep the mood light.”

Willow nods. “Okay, uh, okay…”

She nods again, trying to school herself.  _ “Okay…” _

Tara tilts her head at her wife. Willow grins self-deprecatingly. “Do you want to say it?”

Tara nods and turns back to their friends. “Me and Will are going to be fostering one of the mini-slayers. We don’t know if we’re going to end up adopting her, but we’re both willing to. But for now, she just needs a home and we have that in abundance, so, y’know.”

Dawn is the first to react. “Oh my god!! You made me freak out and think you were sick when you’re getting a kid?”

Willow interjects, “I don’t think we made you -”

Dawn squints at the two of them. “How long have you two kept this under wraps?”

Tara smiles. “Given that you still hold a grudge about not finding out about our engagement right away, I don’t know that I want to tell you that.”

Dawn turns to Kennedy, “How long?”

Kennedy shrugs at Willow’s glare and says, “A little over a month.”

Basically all the scoobies make sounds of disappointment at the two of them and Willow lovingly but genuinely glares at them. “Okay, if one of us was pregnant and we were early term, you wouldn’t be angry that you didn’t know. So, I’m going to need all of you to back off the heteronormativity for a quick second.”

Tara rolls her eyes.  _ “Willow.” _

Willow shrugs. “What? I’m sorry that we didn’t put our chances at being able to foster Alexis at risk by telling our friends, most of which are a part of the academy that social services is reviewing at the moment, about the fact that we were considering it.”

Tara goes to continue but Buffy’s voice rings out. “You’re fostering Alexis? She’s so sweet.”

Willow and Tara both beam. Willow says, “She is! We’ve been spending a lot of time with her - thus us missing the last game night. She’s so funny and interesting and… I just turned full dork, didn't I?”

Tara smiles. “It’s sweet.”

Willow shakes her head and Xander asks, “Alexis is the one who accidentally broke that vending machine, right?”

Both Tara and Willow look confused. Jenny nods, “Yeah, that’d be Alexis. About as much of a mess as Willow, so it’ll probably be a good fit.”

Tara laughs while Willow pouts.  _ “Hey.” _

Giles looks over to Jenny. “Does this count as winning the bet?”

Jenny groans, “No, absolutely not.”

Willow is pinching the bridge of her nose as she addresses the two of them. “Which aspect of my life did the two of you bet on this time?”

Xander and Buffy laugh and Faith cuts them off. “I wouldn’t laugh about that one, since it includes both of you, too.”

Both Xander and Buffy turn towards their not-parents. Jenny shakes her head. “Giles was convinced you would name your kids after one another in some capacity. But since Willow and Tara didn’t choose Alexis’ name I don’t think it counts.”

The three of them glare at Jenny playfully and Willow says, “Actually, I think Giles wins this one.”

Jenny groans, “Why?” As Giles chuckles.

“Honestly?” Willow asks. “Because I like him more than you right now.”

Jenny rolls her eyes playfully as Tara comes up behind Willow to wrap her arms around her waist. Jenny sobers, “But genuinely, I’m-too-young-to-be-a-grandma jokes aside. I’m so proud of both of you.”

Both Willow and Tara mirror one another as they look down. Willow shrugs, “Well, hey. Don’t get all serious about it, this is still game night.”

Jonathan, holding Andrew’s hand in the seat next to him, says. “I’m super glad you two finally have a kid.”

Anya voices her agreement. “Yes! Now we don’t have to watch you fill your house with cats in an attempt to replace the feeling that children offer.”

Willow laughs. “Thanks, Ahn.”

And just like that, the normal chaos of game night springs to life as Jonathan nearly immediately spills a bear over himself and Andrew while Faith makes some lewd joke about the two of them. Buffy, Jenny, Kennedy, and Xander immediately begin a too-competitive game of Smash as Tara flees to the kitchen to pull out the snacks before the resident slayers start groaning. Alone, leaning against the wall, Willow is startled when she feels Angel tap her against the shoulder. “You’ve been around here for a while, when are you gonna start working on the less silent approach.”

Angel laughs softly. “I’ll try and do better.”

Willow smiles. “What’s up?”

Angel snorts. “What’s up? You’re the one having a kid.”

Willow tilts her head. “Huh? If I’m recalling correctly I’m pretty sure you’ve already both been here and done that.”

Angel shakes his head. “I just mean, I’m happy for you.”

Willow leans her shoulder against him. “Thank you. How are you and Buffy?”

Angel’s eyes widen at Willow. “Have you considered subtlety?”

Willow laughs. “With you and Buffy? No.”

Angel looks over at the blonde in question as she jams her elbow into Kennedy’s head, trying to distract her from the game. “We’re  _ something _ . She’s still got some baking to do and I still… I still have my issues…”

Willow raises her eyebrows. “But?”

Angel nods.  _ “But _ … if you happen to have time between your new motherhood and you and Tara have time to discuss that potential spell you mentioned at your wedding, I think I’m ready to consider it.”

Willow smiles. “Oh! That is a significant  _ something _ you and Buffy have.”

Angel nods and notes Tara rushing past with an armful of food. “I’m so happy for you, Willow.”

Willow smiles warmly. “I’m happy for you, too, Angel.”

As he leaves, Tara replaces his spot next to Willow. “Our friends are kind of dumb sometimes.”

Tara nods her agreement. “I love our dumb friends.”

Willow hums, wrapping her hand around Tara’s. “Me too.”

*

Tara hadn’t initially realized exactly why she cared about Alexis so much pretty much on sight. But, seeing her and Willow talking about something that she doesn’t really understand, she watches the way that Alexis does the same fluttering hand thing Willow always does when she’s excited and she also seems to have the Babble Trait that Willow eventually passes on to everyone she meets. It stresses Tara out, the realization that the girl she already cares about shares some of the traits that tend to get Willow out of  _ trouble _ . Especially when the two of them are already getting along so well, which is good in general, but bad in terms of Tara’s house being run rampant by two people who already have her wrapped around their fingers.

Willow looks back as she unlocks the door to the house and smiles at Tara, love clear in her eyes.  _ I love you, _ she mouths. Tara smiles back and Willow opens the door with Alexis following behind her. Alexis gasps at the sight ahead of her and both Willow and Tara turn towards her quickly. Alexis notices the movement, “Oh, I’m fine. That’s just  _ a lot _ of cats.”

Tara smiles teasingly at Willow and Willow blushes. “They usually aren’t all in the living room?”

Alexis shakes her head. “ _ No _ , I love them.”

Tara snorts and Willow falls back to her wife’s side, wrapping her arms around her waist from behind as she leans against her, the two of them watching the girl in front of them lean down to greet the cats. 

As her knees thump against the hardwood under the carpet, two of the cats sprint off and Alexis turns back with apology in her eyes. Willow, with her chin resting on Tara’s shoulder. “You’re good, that’s just Sander and Frog. They’re pretty flighty, not on you at all.”

Alexis nods and then tilts her head, back at them. “Sander... like Xander?”

Tara laughs as Willow collapses her face into Tara’s shoulder. “His name was supposed to be Sasha but I had to call them to set up his account and Xander was being an ass-” 

Tara clears her throat and Willow smiles, “Being an  _ abhorrent _ person in the back of the call and they thought it was Sander and it stuck, unfortunately.”

Alexis smiles at the correction and goes back to staring at the cats around the room until an especially fuzzy and white cat approaches her. Tara groans as Egg brushes against Alexis and collapses onto his back to offer his stomach. “Egg  _ hates _ everyone, and you won him over in like a minute.”

Willow laughs into Tara’s shoulder. “You’re just jealous because Egg is the only cat who doesn’t favour you.”

Tara laughs and kisses the peak of Willow’s hair. “Maybe…”

Alexis is beaming down at Egg, a smile Tara hasn’t seen since before social services showed up at the academy. “I like him. He’s very soft.”

Alexis spots the fluffy orange cats bouncing towards Tara and asks, “That’s Trixie, right?”

Tara nods. “Yeah, how’d you’d know?”

Alexis smiles. “Willow said Trixie’s your favourite.”

Tara rolls her eyes playfully. “I don’t play favourites.”

Trixie meows from the ground and Tara leans down to scoop her up. She purrs contentedly and Willow laughs, “Sure you don’t, honey.”

Tara holds Trixie closer and whispers fondly to the cat, “Don’t listen to her, she’s just jealous.”

Willow kisses Tara on the cheek before she pulls away. “Yes, I’m very, very jealous. I’m going to go make dinner, you can introduce Alexis to the rest of the cats that you love equally.”

Tara laughs. “I love you.” She covers the cat’s ears with one hand. “More than Trixie.” 

Willow smiles and shakes her head before walking over to the kitchen. Alexis seems focused on convincing Egg to never leave her side so Tara lets Trixie back onto the ground and moves to the couch. Cheddar immediately comes bounding over and chuckles. “Still insistent on being a mini-Willow, huh?”

Cheddar meows loudly and Alexis turns her body on the floor, Egg still resting happily in her crossed lap. “Mini-Willow?”

Tara smiles as she pets the cat next to her on the couch. “He’s talkative and needy, plus, y’know,  _ orange _ .”

Alexis smiles warmly and stifles out a laugh when she hears Willow’s voice call out from the kitchen, “I resent that!”

Tara smirks and says, “No, you don’t.”

Tara listens for the soft grumbles she knows are coming and laughs when she hears them. Alexis laughs softly along with her and smiles as she looks down. Looking back up at Tara, she says, “Thank you.”

Tara tilts her head, already knowing what the thank you is for. “You don’t need to thank us, we’re glad you’re here and that you get to stay at the academy, but you’re welcome.”

Alexis blushes, and through the open wall between the living room and the kitchen, Willow is struck by the familiar way that the girl’s hair curtains her face.  _ Oh no _ , she thinks. Call it a not-great sign that Willow is already willing to do anything for Alexis as long as it makes her smile. A soft and melodic thump draws her attention to the piano in the corner of the room and she calls out, “Tara, baby, can you please grab Salem before she gets stuck in the piano again?”

Alexis gets up before Tara can and walks over to sit on the bench as she reaches forward for the black cat. Placing her in her lap, Alexis hesitantly reaches out to the keys before she pulls her hand back. Tara notices and softly, she asks, “Do you play?”

Alexis turns quickly towards Tara as if she was lost in thought and shifts. “Uh, yeah. My dad started teaching me before I could walk… I think.”

Tara hums, “Willow plays sometimes, usually only when she’s trying to get me to sing along. But feel free to play it whenever.”

Alexis raises her voice a little as she asks, “How long have you played?”

Willow’s head pops out through the open doorway of the kitchen. “I think my parents signed me up when I was seven or eight? I stopped playing for a long time until Tara decided she wanted our house to have a piano because of the ‘good energy’.”

Alexis laughs. And Tara smiles at Willow, “Was I wrong?”

Willow smirks back fondly, “Are you ever, dear wife of mine?”

A loud sizzling sound erupts from beyond Tara’s line of sight and Willow squeaks, “The veggies!”

Tara sighs as she watches her wife hurry across the kitchen and she turns back to Alexis. “What kind of pizza do you like?”

Alexis furrows her eyebrows. “Sorry?”

Tara smiles. “Will wanted to impress you, but unfortunately that would require cooking skills that she does not possess, so tonight is looking more like a pizza night, if you’re willing?”

Alexis laughs and shrugs. “All pizza is good pizza.”

Tara grins. “You say that now. But Willow has the astonishing ability to ruin pizza.”

From the kitchen, the faint sound of her fanning something with a towel in the background, Willow says, “Pineapple doesn’t ruin pizza.”

Tara turns back to Alexis as if to say  _ see _ . But then she spots an awkward look on her face, “Oh, goddess, no.”

Willow starts cackling from the kitchen and Tara buries her face in her hands. “I’m outnumbered…”

Alexis laughs along with both of them as she says, “I’m sorry, there’s just worse things to have on pizza than pineapples. Like olives, for example.”

Tara groans as Willow’s laughter grows louder. Coming around the corner and into the living room to sit down next to Tara, Willow smiles at Alexis. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”

Alexis grins warmly as Tara continues to groan dramatically. “Darling, I think this might be it. We should get divorce-”

Willow cuts her off by aggressively leaning against her. “Not a funny joke.”

Alexis laughs as she gets up to bring Salem over to the couches. Tara leans over to kiss Willow. “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

Willow nods and smiles. “I know, I just…”

Tara nods. “I know you don’t.”

Willow smiles. “Okay.”

Tara leans her head against Willow’s shoulder. “I love you.”

Willow hums, “I love you, too.”

Alexis stares at them for a moment. Willow notices, “What’s up?” 

Alexis tilts her head, “Was that a full conversation?”

Willow laughs. “Lotsa practice with the foot-in-mouth disease in this house. You’ll get used to it.”

Alexis grows warm at the unintentional confirmation that she’s allowed to stay here, that Willow and Tara want her here. Tara taps the cushion next to her. “The best view of the tv is on this couch, if you’re willing to put up with sharing.”

Alexis nods quickly and moves to sit next to her. Willow hums excitedly, “Have you played the new Smash?”

Alexis smiles, “Yeah, sometimes the girls bring it to training exam days so we can play while we wait.” Willow starts to continue before Alexis adds, “Please don’t tell Kenn that.”

Tara smiles and Willow says, “No worries. We’re your.. guardians or whatever here. No head council witches in this house.”

Alexis smiles and nods, “Then yeah, I’ve played it.”

Willow grins. “Do you want to play before dinner?”

Alexis beams excitedly. “For sure.”

Tara sighs. “I guess I’ll call the pizza place. You can train Alexis to join your ranks.”

Alexis looks confused. Willow clarifies, “If you’re willing, us and a bunch of, well I guess we’re the higher levels to you, have game nights and you’re always invited. Sometimes we play monopoly but Anya usually wins so we stopped playing that and now we mostly play Smash or Mariokart or other video games that make Tara sad.”

Tara rolls her eyes, “They don’t make me sad.”

Willow smiles sweetly at Tara before cupping a hand over her mouth, concealing none of the words she says from Tara who is inches from her. “She says she dislikes them because they hurt her eyes but really she’s just bad at them.”

Tara grabs the hand Willow was using to  _ conceal _ her words and interlaces their fingers, glaring playfully at Willow, “You say that, but every time I’ve played, I’ve beaten you.”

Alexis laughs and Willow does too. “I never said  _ I  _ wasn’t bad, too.”

Tara shakes her head before releasing Willow’s hand to stand up. “I’m gonna go order now. One heathen pizza for the both of you?” 

Willow smiles at Alexis, “She means a hawaiian.”

Alexis nods. “Oh! Then yes, please.”

Tara smiles and heads to the kitchen so the background noise of the TV won’t interrupt the call. Left alone with Alexis, Willow focuses on keeping her foot out of her mouth while she keeps her eyes glued to the TV. “So, uh, are you comfortable? I mean, I know we haven’t shown you your room yet because Xander still has to bring your stuff over from the dorms, but in terms of cats and me and Tara, we’re not being overbearing or anything? Because you can tell us if we are…”

Alexis smiles at the babble that Tara warned her about earlier. “No, no. I like it here a lot. The two of you are like, legends or something, at the academy. I mean the two of you gave most of us our powers. Plus you’re both good people? Which seems unfair.”

Willow blows air out of her nose. “We’re just people. And the slayer thing was mostly Tara, and it wouldn’t mean anything if all of you girls didn’t choose to fight.”

Alexis shrugs, “Still, you’re pretty cool in my eyes. Plus, you saved me from having to go with whichever foster family social services could find first.”

Willow smiles softly as she looks over to Alexis for a moment. “You’re pretty cool in our eyes, too. For what it’s worth.”

Alexis hums and looks around to change the subject. Her eyes catch on a fairly large group photo featuring the two women who have pledged to look after her in white dresses. “You and the higher ups are all friends?”

Willow hums and smiles widely as her eyes follow Alexis’ line of sight. “Yeah. That’s most of the reason we are the higher ups. I mean, not in a nepotism way. More of - the world nearly fell apart and our group of friends happened to also be the people fighting against the end - way.”

Alexis hums. “So, you and your friends are some of the most powerful people in the world and you have biweekly game nights?”

Willow laughs. “That makes us sound kind of dorky, huh?”

At Alexis’ nod, Willow shrugs. “I guess, most of us missed out on the fun family growing up and laughing and spending our teenage years doing dumb teenage things, since we had to focus on the world not ended. So, now that life is safe enough, we do it on the regular.”

Alexis smiles. “That’s nice.”

Willow beams. “Yeah, it is. The next one is at Jenny’s house next week. But the one after that is here, so if you’re interested that’s when they are. And if it’s too much, then we can figure something out in three weeks so that we can go somewhere else.”

Alexis shakes her head. “No, this is your house, you don’t have to…”

Willow softly cuts her off. “It’s your house, too. We don’t ever want you to feel like this house isn’t a safe option for you. If that means moving game nights, that’s a very easy task.”

Alexis tries to smile but then her eyes fill with tears and she drops the controller in her hands to frantically wipe away the tears that suddenly won’t stop falling. Willow puts down her controller quickly and moves closer on the couch. “Woah, okay… Was it an I said something thing or is it just a you’re overwhelmed thing?”

Alexis sniffs and chokes out. “Overwhelmed.”

Willow nods and widens her eyes in comforting understanding. “Okay. I’m going to hug you until you feel a little more whelmed, if that’s okay with you?”

Alexis’ face crumples more as she nods. Willow moves over and tucks the brunette’s head under her chin. Softly, she tells irrelevant and short stories about the cats and gardening and funny spells gone wrong, ignoring the familiar eyes she feels on her. At the entrance to the living room, Tara leans against the wall, staring at the love of her life and rapidly falling harder for her. Smiling softly as she sees the comfort that Alexis is drawing from the interaction through the occasionally wet and choked giggles she lets out, Tara feels warm as she remembers herself, 17 and terrified of what life might turn out to be and how much she just needed someone to let her be scared for a minute. She’s so glad that she and Willow get to give Alexis the space to just be a scared kid, especially when they are the ones who gave her the thing that inspires the most fear in her life. But that’s a conversation for later.

*

Being honest, Alexis is nervous. Like, just found out she apparently has supernatural powers and will be attending a school to teach her how to use them, nervous. She knows she’s met nearly every person that’s going to be at the esteemed  _ game night _ already, but she’s still nervous because now she’s their best friends’ kid or something. She knows Kennedy and Faith and Buffy since she has lessons and training with all of them. So she’s not super worried about that. It’s mostly the fact that she’s a new part of the whole thing they have, and for better or worse, everyone who attends the academy knows that the group of higher ups is pretty much impenetrable.

It makes sense, Alexis knows. They have that whole shared trauma thing going on. In the same way that her and the four girls she’s spent the entirety of her experience at the academy with will probably never be far from her mind. It’s still scary having to face that though. She knows she has a one-up for being Willow and Tara's foster daughter, but everyone in the house that they’re currently pulling up to are either living legends at the academy or people she’s never even heard of.

Willow turns around in her seat, interrupting Alexis’ thoughts as Tara parks the car. “Nervous?”

Alexis smiles weakly. “No?”

Tara meets her eyes in the rearview mirror. “It’s okay if you are, Lex.”

Alexis nods. “Then, very much of the yes.”

Tara laughs at the phrasing. “If it makes the nervousness a little less, you’ve started talking like Will enough that you’ll probably fit right now.”

Alexis smiles and Willow turns to her wife.  _ “Hey!” _

Tara shakes her head as she unbuckles. “It wasn’t an insult. You and Buffy just have very specific… vernaculars. It can be hard to understand if you’re not used to it.”

Alexis nods. “It’s true. Most of the girls hate when you two give double lectures because you do the weird-speak and it confuses them.”

Willow grimaces. “Ouch.”

Tara rubs a hand on Willow’s knee. “You’re fine.”

She looks back at Alexis. “So are you. But we can leave if that’s what you’d like.”

Alexis shakes her head with resolve. “No. I’m excited under the nervous, I think.”

Tara smiles as the three of them get out of the car and walk towards the house holding the beast of Alexis’ fear. Before any of them can knock, the door opens and Alexis is relieved at the extremely familiar face behind it. “Lex! Welcome to your first game night, hopefully Faith won’t try to kill you.”

Alexis grins at Kennedy. “She couldn't take me.”

Kennedy pulls a no longer nervous Alexis into the house by her arm as Tara wraps her hand around Willow’s and squeezes. With Kennedy leading her Alexis gets both introduced and reintroduced to the large group occupying the room.

Alexis knows Faith and Buffy as the two of the head slayers at the academy, so when Kennedy points to the two of them arguing over who gets to be Toad in their current round of Mariokart, she laughs. Faith looks up wide-eyes. “Shit, B. We can’t expose ourselves like that in front of one of the mini-slayers.”

Alexis smiles. “I don’t know if it’s fair for either of you to call me a mini-slayer since I’m taller than you…”

An unfamiliar brunette laughs loudly from the tangential loveseat. “I like her, she’s funny.”

Alexis smiles at her, sticking out a hand. “I’m Alexis.”

The brunette smiles. “Believe me, I know. Those two won’t stop talking about you, it’s cute. Plus, I was the test run so, y’know.”

Buffy rolls her eyes. “Dawn, I actually think it’s customary for you to introduce yourself.”

Alexis snorts and Dawn’s eyes widen. “I’m sorry, I’m Dawn.”

Alexis smiles. “It’s nice to meet you, I’ve also heard about you, thanks for the room.”

Dawn smiles back. “Eh, I only need it when my girlfriend is being dumb and she’s stopped doing that recently. Plus, knowing those two, I imagine they’d offer me their room and sleep on their own couches if I even hinted that I didn’t want to be at my place.”

Alexis laughs and nods. “Probably.”

Willow narrows her eyes from across the room. “Them getting along might be a bad idea.”

Tara shakes her head and nudges Willow’s shoulder. “You don’t actually think that and you know it.”

Willow smiles and presses her lips against Tara’s temple. “No, I don’t.”

Tara smiles and leans into her wife before someone sprinting past them into the room accidentally bumps into them. “Sorry, sorry, sorry… Hot cheese in a pot burning my hands, will introduce self to your new kid in like five seconds.”

Willow laughs as Andrew hops across the room to set the pot of cheese onto the coffee table. His panic-fueled jumps catch Alexis’ attention and as he blows on his bright red hands in the hopes that they’ll stop yelling at him, he looks up and smiles at her. “Tillow Junior!”

Willow sighs. “Andrew… please stop calling us that.”

Andrew sighs in a mirrored tone. “Sorry. Alexis! It is absolutely wonderful to meet you!”

He grasps one of her hands in both of his and shakes it enthusiastically. Alexis laughs as his excitement. “It's good to meet you, too… Andrew?”

Andrew curtsies. “Yours, truly.”

Jonathan walks up behind him. “Please don’t be scared off by my boyfriend’s antics, he tends to forget how to act like a normal person.”

Alexis shakes her head. “I like it.”

Andrew laughs victoriously. “She gets it!”

Jonathan rolls his eyes and pulls Andrew away as Giles comes into the room, balancing different bottles of various expensive looking liquids in his arms. “Oh! Is this what the commotion is about?”

He sets down the bottles along the bar in the living room and shoves his hands into his pockets. “It’s good to see you again, Alexis.”

Alexis nods. “Oh, thanks. It’s good to see you, too, Mr. Giles.”

Giles grins as he recognizes the familiar way the girl curtains her face. “Please, the only person who calls me Mr. Giles is, well, is Tara. And even she grew out of that, so, feel free to call me Giles.”

Alexis’ smile brightens. “Okay, it’s good to see you Giles.”

Giles smiles warmly and looks down, taking his glasses off to clean them. The woman Alexis tangentially knows as Ms. Calendar chimes in. “The glasses cleaning means he likes you. I’m Jenny, which you know since I helped get you enrolled in the academy but it's been a while since that happened.”

Alexis nods. “I’m Alexis, which you also know. I like your house. It’s a lot like theirs without the excessive cats and plants.”

Jenny laughs as both Willow and Tara scoff. “Yes, well, some of us have better coping mechanisms than adopting cats and buying plants every time we face a crisis.”

Alexis laughs. “I think they’re pretty good coping mechanisms.”

Faith snorts from the corner. “Uh, yeah, considering Willow’s old ones-” Tara clears her throat and gives Faith a pointed look while Willow grimaces. “Shutting up now.”

Tara nods and Angel steps in. “Ignoring Faith is usually the right choice…”

Willow laughs while Faith grunts, “Asshole.”

Angel smirks. “If we’re doing introductions, I’m Angel.”

Alexis nods. “I assumed you were Angel and not just some random vampire that was invited to game night.”

Angel laughs, “Oh, then. Yeah, that seems like the right assumption to make. It’s great to meet you, Dawn already mentioned it, but Willow and Tara never stop talking about you, so you seem pretty cool.”

Alexis blushes. “Thanks.”

Angel shrugs. “Just the truth. I’ll be in the corner if you need me.”

Tara rolls her eyes at him. “Angel, a little less drama?”

He raises his eyebrows at her. “At least I’m self aware.”

Tara snorts. “At least.”

Alexis smiles at the interaction and goes towards the pile of bottles on the bar. “Which one of these are okay for me to drink?”

A man she’s seen wandering the halls of the academy on occasion leans over her shoulder and plucks one of the bottles off the bench. “This one is safe for you and me, I think?”

Alexis turns. “Xander, right?”

The man behind her beams. “Yeah! This is the bottle G-man gets for me since I don’t drink. It’s sweet if that’s something you’re interested in.”

Alexis nods. “Sounds good to me.”

Xander smiles. “Awesome, I’ll go grab us some cups.”

As he bounds off, a woman replaces him. “I’m Anya! Xander’s my husband.”

Alexis smiles at her. “Oh! Frog used to be your cat?”

Anya grins. “Yes, he didn’t used to be called Frog but Willow hates frogs and it’s fun making her mad, so, Frog he is called.”

Alexis laughs. Willow glowers and Tara smirks as she leans into her. “She’s happy and everyone likes her, this is a win.”

Willow grumbles. “It’s a win for now, but what about when Faith and Anya come up with their next plan to ruin my life and they include Alexis…”

Tara laughs loudly. “The last thing they did was put Frog in a frog costume, I wouldn’t call that an attempt at ruining your life.”

Willow’s eyebrows are furrowed. “But it did anyway.”

Tara shakes her head. “White?”

Willow smiles. “Yes, please.”

Tara walks over to the table where Xander is pouring himself and Alexis drinks. “Can you pass me the white wine?”

Xander nods. “Sure, _mom.”_

Tara looks down as she blushes. “Don’t…”

Xander smiles at her. “She’s a lot like Willow, it’s weird.”

Tara snorts. “Try terrifying.”

Xander shrugs. “She’s a lot like you, too. So, Willow is equally screwed.”

Tara laughs. “I guess that’s something.”

Xander wraps an arm around Tara’s shoulders. “I’m proud of you. One child of traumatizing parents to another, you’re going to be a great mom. You are already, but if Alexis chooses you to be one of hers, you’ll be great.”

Tara smiles and leans into him. “If you could refrain from trying to make me cry right now, that would be very nice.”

Xander laughs as he offers Tara one of the glasses in his hands. “Do you want to bring that to your kid?”

Tara smiles at the phrasing and nods. “Thanks.”

Alexis is focused on the TV, watching as Buffy and Faith are so focused on beating one another that they’re completely ignoring Andrew’s character as he waits for one of them to get eliminated. She’s so focused, in fact, that when a hand taps her on the shoulder she nearly jumps out of her skin. She turns to see Tara with raised eyebrows, “Hey.”

Alexis grins self-depricatingly. “Sorry, got a little too invested.”

Tara shakes her head and smiles. “You’re okay, here.” 

She offers one of the drinks in her hand to Alexis. “How are the nerves?”

Alexis smiles at her. “All gone. Your friends are pretty much as dorky as you and Willow are.”

Tara snorts. “Well, you fit in pretty well, so I think that makes you a dork, too.”

Alexis nods. “Gladly.”

Tara runs a hand through Alexis’ hair. “I’m glad you’re comfortable.”

“Me, too.” Alexis’ eyes are drawn to a different part of the room. “Uh, I think Willow and Anya are about to kill each other.”

Tara follows her eyes. “Oh, yes. Wouldn’t be a game night if my wonderful wife did not attempt to kill one of our friends.”

Alexis snorts and Tara smiles at her as she turns to deal with her wife and best friend. “We’ll talk later.”

*

Tara gets home and the door is unlocked and that’s okay because she knows that Alexis is supposed to be home already. What concerns her is the state she finds Alexis in, the brunette is sitting cross-legged on the couch, playing with the long fur on Egg’s back, as tears stream down her face. Tara drops her bag against the door as she closes it and walks over to sit next to Alexis. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?”

Alexis laughs wetly and shakes her head and Tara is once again jarred how a girl who is not biologically related to Willow manages to mimic her nearly perfectly. “It’s dumb.”

Tara brushes the hair falling into Alexis’ face behind her ear and says. “ _ Hey _ , if it’s hurting you, it isn’t dumb.”

Alexis nods but doesn’t say anything. Tara hums. “Is it a distraction sad or a thinking sad?”

Alexis tilts her head, frowning slightly, “What?”

Tara shrugs. “There are sad things that just hurt and the only way through them is by distracting yourself but there are some that you need to think about even though they hurt a lot. For example, if it’s a distraction sad, I can call an emergency game night.”

Alexis’ cheeks rise in a slight smile. “I think it might be a thinking thing.” She furrows her eyebrows, “That sounded weird.”

Tara laughs softly. “A little. But if you need to think, I’ll be right here if there’s anything that takes a second head.”

Alexis leans into Tara for a moment and smiles a little wider. “Thanks, Tara.”

Tara stays, quietly leaning back with her eyes closed, only opening them every time one of the cats realizes she has returned for the day. Cheddar takes up post on her lap and unknowingly, Tara and Alexis sit next to each other mirrored as Alexis tries to figure out how and if she wants to word what’s wrong. 

She settles on blunt. “My parents are dead.”

Tara opens her eyes and hums, waiting for Alexis to continue. She does, “It’s just… they’re dead. They’ve been dead for so long, and my mom was a terrible person and my dad was the best person I’ve ever known and they both just died. I’m a  _ slayer _ , you and Willow are witches, Dawn is some unknown ball of energy. There’s all this dumb magic in the world and good people and bad people die in the same stupid ways and  _ I hate it. _ What’s the point?”

Tara shifts next to her, blowing air through her nose, letting a soft and sympathetic chuckle out. “Of life?” At Alexis’ assured nod, she continues. “I don’t know. I just know it is terrible and scary and people I love get hurt and die a little more than I’d prefer.”

Alexis furrows her eyebrows. “Is that supposed to help?”

Tara smiles and tilts her head at Alexis. “No. Life is always going to be scary and people you love are always going to die, it’s a, uh,  _ shitty _ , consequence of life.”

Alexis lets out a harsh sound and Tara hums in agreement. “Magic doesn’t solve the world, magic is a symptom of people. Willow and I use our magic for good, mostly. But we don’t have to, it’s a choice. Life doesn’t get better just because magic exists, but both me and Willow make our lives and the people we care about lives a little better every time we choose to keep using magic to do so.”

Alexis listens. “You’re a slayer, and that can suck beyond comparison. But you’re also a good person. You made that decision yourself, magic didn’t give it to you, Willow and I didn’t give it to you with your powers,  _ you did _ .”

She nods. “Yeah, I get that. But why does being good matter, my dad  _ died _ . One day you and Willow will be dead and so will everyone who worked with the council.”

Tara nods and moves her arms around Alexis. Kissing the top of her head she says, “We will. But that doesn’t take away from the good. If Willow died tomorrow, it would suck beyond belief. But that wouldn’t take away the fact that she has made my life better, and the things she’s taught me will continue to make my life better for the rest of my life. And it definitely wouldn't take away the fact that, right now, I love her and she loves me.”

Alexis shrugs. “I guess. But mostly it just hurts now.”

Tara nods. “I remember.”

Alexis tilts her head. “Sorry?”

Tara runs a hand through Alexis’ hair as she wraps her arms around her, pulling her into a side hug. “When I was seventeen, my mom died, and I was left alone with my dad and brother who were… less than great people.”

Alexis furrows her eyebrows. “I’m sorry.”

Tara shakes her head. “No, I...  _ Thank you _ . But I’m not saying this for sympathy. I miss her, but I always will, that’s not the point. For the first, _forever_ it felt like, I thought all I would ever feel was hurt and lonely because she was… my mom was the only  _ good  _ person I knew. It felt dumb and unfair and I thought all the world had was cruelness if it was going to kill her and let people like my dad live.”

Alexis rests her head on Tara’s shoulder. “And?”

Tara rests her chin against Alexis’ hair. “And it slowly got better. The world still sucked, a lot. And I had to go to a new town all by myself, terrified and lonely. But then I found a family, and the world could be as cruel as it wanted as long as they’re still there. And, if you’ve noticed, we still have apocalypses on what seems like the monthly, but we still have things like game nights.”

Alexis smiles. “I guess that would make it better.”

Tara hums. “Whenever you find your thing that makes the world worth it, you’ll do great. And until you find it, you have me and Will and our dorky friends and our  _ loud _ cats.” Her last comment is pointed at the cat in her lap and Alexis laughs, though it comes out wet.

Sobering, she looks softly at Tara. “Thank you, I don’t  _ feel _ better but I feel better, y’know?”

Tara smiles. “I don’t know that I do, but I’m glad if it helped.”

Alexis goes to reply but both of their attention is caught by a crashing sound near the front door. Willow is grinning sheepishly from her position halfway to the ground. “Hello to my favourite girls. The door was booby-trapped, this isn’t my fault.”

Alexis smiles at the endearment while Tara grins apologetically. “Sorry, entrance stress led to me leaving my purse in front of the door.”

Willow shakes her head. “You’re forgiven, work stress led to me not using my brain when the door was resistant against me trying to open it.”

Alexis tilts her head. “There’s not an apocalypse is there?”

Willow’s eyes widen. “Oh, no. You are the work stress in question. Kenn mentioned that you seemed off today, and I was worried. But it looks like Tara has it covered, so we’re all good.”

Alexis nods. “Yeah, she’s good at the whole love talks thing.”

Willow smiles. “You noticed that?”

Tara shakes her head at both of them. “I’m going to go make dinner if you want to take over the resident comforting role?”

Willow nods and bounds over to the couch to crash down next to Alexis. Tara plants a passing kiss on her forehead as she walks over to the kitchen, “I love you, darling.”

Willow grins. “I love you, too.”

She turns her attention to Alexis as Tara leaves the room. “So, cheesy Netflix teenage films to make you feel better?”

Alexis smiles widely. “Yes, please.”

Willow nods soundly and focuses her attention on the TV in front of her. Alexis is filled with the need to speak but her stomach and heart won’t stop clenching enough for her to say it. She stays quiet until Tara comes back out of the kitchen, only occasionally replying or laughing at Willow’s commentary about how stupid most of the tokenism in the movie they’re watching is. With three plates in her hands, she offers one to a confused Willow. “It’s a sad day today, I figured we could eat here instead of the dinner table.”

Willow squints. “Who are you and what have you done with my wife?”

Tara snorts. “Funny.”

Willow raises her eyebrows as she takes the plate from Tara. “It’s a very real concern with the lives we lead, you could be a hyena, or a half-Tara, or a vampire version of yourself…”

Willow pauses. “Actually that last one -”

Alexis lets the words that have been making her anxious fall out of her mouth. “I love you guys.”

Both Tara and Willow freeze in their banter. Tara replies first. “I love you, too, Lex.”

Willow clears her throat and receives a glare from Tara as she tries to subtly wipe away the tears sprouting in her eyes. “I also love you, too.”

Alexis nods. “Good, I’m glad. I just, I wanted you to know.”

Tara grins and nods. “We do. But thank you for telling us.”

Willow nods her agreement. “Yes, very much with the thank you.” She stands up. “I’ll be right back.”

Alexis looks worried after her and Tara grabs her hand. “You’re fine. Willow’s parents up until she met Giles and Jenny weren’t really the type to make love clear. So, she gets a little overwhelmed sometimes.”

Alexis nods. “Understandable.”

Tara smiles. “Yeah. She’ll be back, and she’ll probably pretend that she wasn’t crying a few minutes ago. But, she cares a lot about you, so, telling us you love us is of the breakdown material.”

Alexis smiles. “Oddly, that makes me feel better.”

Tara nods and kisses Alexis’ forehead. “I’m glad you feel safe here.”

Alexis beams. “Me too.”

*

Tara smiles as she listens to Buffy laugh. “It’s been a while since we’ve done this.”

Buffy nods her agreement. “Yeah, between trying to figure out Angel stuff, and you and Will having a daughter now, my therapeutic shopping while you judge me has been harder to do.”

Tara snorts. “I’m not judging you.”

Buffy widens her eyes in exasperation. “Of course you aren’t.”

Tara just smiles.  _ “So, _ how is figuring out the Angel stuff?”

Buffy groans. “Between you and Will, I don’t think I’ll ever keep my dating life private.”

Tara smirks, “I don’t think a private dating life is possible with friends like ours.”

Buffy laughs and shrugs. “But, yeah. We’re trying again. Angel still has his whole vampire with a soul thing going, but he told me that Willow apparently has a solve for that if it becomes something we’re interested in solving?”

Tara blushes at the pointed tone. “Despite what you think, I am not involved in  _ every _ thought my wife has.”

Buffy smiles smugly. “Sure, but I’m pretty certain  _ your wife _ wouldn’t be able to solve this specific magical problem without your help.”

Tara avoids Buffy’s eyes. “Perhaps...”

Buffy rolls her eyes. “Enough of my busy life, Angel is very old news. How is your  _ daughter?” _

Tara can’t help but smile. “Why do all of you insist on saying it that way?”

Buffy grins. “Maybe because it always makes you and Willow smile like that?”

Tara shrugs. “She’s good. She had her first slayer crisis a few days ago.”

Buffy tilts her head. “I’m really trying here, Tara, but I cannot find any reason why that sentence is making you smile the way you are.”

Tara tries to school her face. “She, uh. She told us she loves us?”

Buffy squeals. “Tara!!”

Tara's face splits into a grin. “Y’know the family resemblance becomes very pronounced when you try to ruin my eardrums like that.”

Buffy is still bouncing as she talks. “I don’t care,  _ your daughter told you that she loves you.” _

Tara nods. “She did.”

Buffy grins as they continue walking down the sidewalk. “I know I didn’t know her, but I’ve heard a lot about her, and for what it’s worth, I think your mom would be proud of you.”

Tara looks down. “It’s worth a lot, thank you, Buffy.”

Settling into the softer tone of the conversation, Buffy adds, “And, I don’t know if I ever said this. But thank you for taking care of Dawn when I couldn’t.”

Tara shakes her head, eyebrows furrowed. “Buffy, you don’t… it was just a summer.”

“You and I both know it took much longer than a summer for me to look after Dawn again.” Buffy rebuts.

Tara clears her throat. “You did what you could, Buffy. No -” 

Buffy cuts her off. “And  _ you _ did what I couldn’t, Tara. You had school and Willow stuff, and  _ nearly died _ and still looked after her.”

Tara shrugs. “Oh. Buffy, it was just…”

Buffy smiles. “I’m just trying to say you’re a good mom, and you always have been. But now that you’re not a college student and have an actual kid, I’m glad you’re happy.”

Tara smiles. “I’m glad you’re happy, too. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile as much as you have been recently.”

Buffy rolls her eyes. “You and Willow don’t have to be Angel’s sponsors or whatever, I’m already dating him.”

Tara laughs. “I was not referring to Angel, but good to know you’re officially dating him.”

Buffy groans. “I hate you.”

Tara snorts as she follows Buffy into the next store. “I love you, too.”

*

Tara has spent many years waking up to Willow’s sleep talking or on worse nights, sleep screaming. So, when she wakes up to noise she isn’t that shocked. But when she realizes it’s coming from the large chair in the corner of their room, she quickly grows concerned. Sitting up, she tilts her head at her wife in the chair. “Willow, what’s wrong.”

She recognizes the wet sound in her voice despite Willow’s words. “Nothing, I just couldn’t sleep and didn’t want to bother you.”

Tara stands up and walks over to sit down next to her, taking one of the blankets with her and wrapping it around the both of them she asks, “Do you want to try the truth this time?” 

Willow leans her head into Tara’s neck. “I just feel, uh, of the bad, tonight.”

Tara hums, sleep still heavy in her voice. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Willow shrugs. “Yes? But, the stuff that is making  _ me _ feel bad might also end up making you feel bad, or at the very least make it seem like I think you should feel bad, so I don’t really want to talk to you about it.”

Tara nods. “Okay.  _ But, _ and you don’t have to, but you’ve warned me about your concerns, and I still want to hear it if it’ll make you feel better to talk about it.”

Willow sniffs softly and Tara tightens her arms around her. “I just…  _ We gave a bunch of kids magic powers that make demons want to kill them.” _

Tara sighs. “Ah, this brand of guilt.”

Willow nods. “Yeah.”

Tara snuggles closer to Willow. “Old doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck, but you already know that it was give the potentials their powers or let the world become all evil. We made a choice, and some of the consequences aren’t that great.”

Willow nods again. “Yeah.”

Tara nods, too. “Yeah. Though, since you haven’t had this particular stress in a while, I wonder if this has anything to do with the brunette slayer occupying the room next to this one?”

Willow sighs. “I know there’s nothing we can do. But she already has a bunch of dumb stuff happening to her that she doesn’t deserve without the slayer part of the equation.”

Tara buries her face in Willow’s hair. “Yeah.  _ But _ without her being a slayer, we wouldn’t have met her, and maybe she would’ve been alone when her parents died. So, it’s not all bad.”

Willow leans into Tara. “You’re right.”

Tara smiles. “I always am.”

Willow shakes her head as she laughs. “I love you.”

Tara kisses her softly. “I love you, too.”

They sit in comfortable silence for a few moments before Tara quickly pulls away. Willow tilts her head as a scheming smile spreads across her wife’s face. “What?”

“Do you have anything important at work tomorrow?” Tara excitedly asks. 

Willow narrows her eyes. “No?”

Tara stands up quickly and pulls on one of the sweaters from the back of the chair and holds out a hand. “Come on.”

Willow tilts her head. “Where are we going?”

Tara grins, the one that makes Willow feel all melty. “Star gazing.”

Willow’s questioning grin matches Tara’s. “It’s 2 am.”

Tara tilts her head. “Call in sick tomorrow?”

Willow smiles back and takes Tara’s hand. “Let’s go.”

*

Tara walks into the house and immediately spots the guilty look on her wife’s face. “Should I ask?”

Willow purses her lips. “You’re going to find out so you don’t need to. But I’d like to point out that it was  _ your _ daughter’s idea and she pulled out the Maclay smile so this is, technically, on you.”

Tara raises her eyebrows. “Apocalypse bad or the kitchen is going to be half burned down when I walk in bad?”

Willow shrugs and is about to answer when Tara’s attention is drawn to heavy thumping and clacking coming towards her on the hardwood floor of the hallway. She turns back to Willow after she spots the creature. “A dog, Willow?”

Her eyes widen. “We have the space! And all the cats are dog comfortable and you always said someday we’d get a dog because, if you’ll recall, you’re the only person in this family that prefers cats and Alexis felt terrible today and the shelter called and I’m very aware this is a conversation we should’ve had and Xander got my panic call about half an hour ago so if you’re  _ mad _ mad and not just me forgetting to think about consequences mad, then him and Anya are okay with taking her.”

Tara sighs and rubs a hand over her face as she looks down at the large black dog pawing at her feet. “Is she trained?”

Willow nods. “She is! Daphne, sit.”

Daphne does. Tara smiles. “Her name is Daphne?”

Willow nods happily. “It is, she’s made for us.”

Tara looks at her wife with a raised eyebrow. “I assume you and Lex have already bought out the nearest pet store?”

Willow smiles sheepishly. “You would assume correct.”

Tara relents. “Okay.”

Willow bounces off of the couch and pulls Tara into a deep kiss. When she pulls back Tara laughs. “If I knew you wanted a dog this bad, I would’ve said yes much sooner.”

Willow smirks. “Well, there’s still all that Oz sensitivity I-”

She cuts herself off as Tara slaps her shoulder. “I’m joking, but thank you.”

Both of them turn towards the door at the end of the hall as it opens. Alexis immediately groans. “Oh, ew.”

Tara laughs. “We aren’t even kissing.”

Alexis squints at them. “I know, but you both have that  _ look _ that you always do when you’re about to.”

Willow shakes her head and Alexis hops as the beast on the floor sprints towards her. Tara nearly audibly groans when Alexis turns her Willow-learned wide eyes on her. “Have you made a decision on my very best friend and very nicest girl, Daphne, yet?”

Tara nods. “You can stop laying it on. I’ve said yes.”

Alexis jumps and sprints forward, ignoring their grunts as she bolts into both Willow and Tara. “Thank you!” 

Tara shakes her head. As Alexis sprints out into the yard with Daphne following after her. “I love you both! Not just because you got a dog! Love you, moms!”

The door shuts behind her and Tara looks at Willow and she doesn’t need to because she sees the tears in Willow’s eyes but she asks, “Did she just?”

Willow's voice cracks as she says, “She called us moms.”

Tara’s face breaks into a wide smile.  _ “She called us moms!” _

Willow leans forward a kisses all over Tara’s face as she laughs. “We’re her moms.”

Tara laughs, too. “We already were, doofus.”

Willow shakes her head. “Well,  _ yeah. _ But she hadn’t confirmed that yet.”

Tara leans her forehead against Willow’s. They’re broken up when Alexis pops her head back in through the door to the yard. “Are you two done freaking out about the mom thing or are you good to come help me teach Daphne how to play dead?”

Tara laughs. “I don’t think Willow’s ever gonna stop freaking out about that, but we’re good.”

Willow huffs. “You are  _ just _ as emotional as I am.”

Tara laughs and pulls Willow along towards the yard by their joined hands.

*

Xander is staring wide eyed at Willow as Alexis walks away to jump into one of her friends’ cars. Willow grins at him sarcastically. “What?”

Xander bounces his chest into Willow’s shoulder, nearly knocking her over. “Your daughter just called you  _ mom  _ casually in a conversation and you’re ‘what’ing me?”

Willow laughs happily. “Yes?”

Xander wraps his arms around her and lifts her as he spins and the both of them laugh loudly, drawing the attention of nearby slayers. Xander puts her down when he notices the eyes. “You’re all grown up.”

Willow smiles. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

Xander snorts. “Me neither. But I’m proud of you.”

Willow beams. “Thanks, Xan.”

Xander shakes his head. “No, I mean it. I know that there have been times when you have hated the world a lot. I have some scars on my chest that attest to the worst time. But you made it through, and I love you, and I’m glad you have your wife and your kid who get to help you love the world.”

Willow blinks away the tears in her eyes.  _ “Okay, _ a little less of the sentimental, thanks.”

Xander laughs, rubbing his own eyes and Willow adds, “But it’s not just Tara and Alexis. You’re a big old part of what makes my world better, Xander Harris.”

Xander chokes out a wet laugh. “I hope so, considering I’ve been around for the majority of your life.”

Willow pulls him into a hug. “I’m proud of you, too, doofus.”

Xander rests his chin on top of her head. “Who would’ve thought the two biggest dorks in Miss Simpson’s first grade class would turn out to be this well put together?”

Willow snorts and then sobers. “Do you think he would still… Do you think he’s proud of us, wherever he is?”

Xander pulls back. “Jesse?”

Willow nods. Xander shrugs. “I think so. Aside from my whole leaving Anya at the altar thing and that time you murdered a guy, I think he would be proud of us. Though, his parents were good so maybe he wouldn’t get all of our issues.”

Willow laughs. “I miss him.”

Xander nods. “Me too. I think he would’ve loved game nights.”

Willow smiles widely. “Yeah, he always tried to get us to play Mariokart back then. He’s probably mad at us now that we’re so willing.”

Xander laughs. “Since it involves our very attractive wives, I think he’d understand why we’re more willing now.”

Willow raises her eyebrows and Xander throws his hands in front of himself in correction. “Was not calling your wife hot.”

Willow laughs. “I know, I just like seeing you panic when I make you think I think you have.”

Xander tilts his head. “What?”

Willow flails her hands. “Words are dumb.”

Xander smiles. “Yeah.”

A familiar car pulls up to the curb near by and Tara rolls down the window. “Hey, sweetie.”

Willow’s eyes light up. “Hey, honey!”

She turns back to Xander. “I should get going.”

Xander nods but grins as he makes a whip cracking noise with his mouth. Willow laughs. “And? You don’t have much room to talk, mister.”

Xander snorts. “Perhaps you’re right.”

Willow starts to walk towards her car. “I know I am.”

Xander calls after her. “Have fun.”

Willow turns back. “Don’t be gross.”

Xander grimaces. “Not what I meant.”

Willow sticks her tongue between her teeth. “I know.”

Xander sighs. “I love you, ass.”

Willow smiles sweetly. “Love you, too.”

*

Alexis attends a school made for girls with superpowers, she knows a  _ lot _ of badass women. She’s also been privy to hearing about some of her mothers’ most badass moments as part of her school curriculum. But, none of that compares to how simultaneously cool and terrifying it is to be in an apocalypse-type fight with them. 

She is pretty focused on the vampire in front of her, all the younger slayers have been told to focus on the lesser demons while the higher ups focus on the guy who is ascending. Alexis isn’t exactly sure what an ascension is, but most of the Scoobies seem exhausted by the thought so she knows it isn’t great. The point is, she isn’t paying attention to a lot of what surrounds her, trusting her fellow slayers to protect her from any unseen forces, and they do. But fifteen year olds, however many, aren’t a great match against an extremely large dragon-ish creature that seems intent on grabbing her. 

She doesn’t notice until she’s already in it’s hand, violently thrashing trying to get out of his grasp. It’s grip only tightens and, terrified, she starts to scream.  _ “Moms!!” _

Tara and Willow, who were placed on healing duty, both immediately look up at the noise. Jenny follows their line of sight from her place nearby, wrapping a slayer’s bleeding chest.  _ “Go!” _

Both Willow and Tara bolt from their seated positions to join Faith and Buffy at the front of the fray. Tara intertwines her fingers with Willows, feeling frightening energy coming from her wife she says,  _ “Hey,  _ we can’t save her if you go dark on me right now.”

Willow nods, focusing. “I know. Okay, okay, yeah. Okay.. I’m good. You good?”

Tara nods once, certain. “Hey, ugly!”

The dragon-thing turns towards them. Tara glares at it. “Get the hell away from our daughter!”

Alexis looks down at her moms as the dragon-thing moves her around in its hand. “Hey, Ma.”

Willow looks up at her. “Hey, sweetie, try not to get dropped right now please?”

Alexis nods, shouting back. “Absolutely at the top of my list of things not to do right now.”

Willow smiles. “I’m glad.”

Alexis gives a thumbs up. “Try not to go all Darth Rosenberg?”

Willow shakes her head. “I won’t.”

Tara, who is focusing her energy on the dragon-thing, smirks as she shoots energy out at it. “I don’t know if I should be relieved or insulted that you didn’t correct that to Rosenberg-Maclay.”

Willow laughs and squeezes Tara’s hand as she focuses on spreading out energy under Alexis to catch her. Once she gives Tara a nod of assurance, they combine their energies and push it out ahead of them, shaking the dragon-thing on its feet and watching as Alexis falls from its hand. 

As she falls she cries out,  _ “Mom!” _

Willow holds out her hands and reasserts the energy as it cups to catch Alexis softly and slowly releases her to the ground. As she goes to walk towards Alexis her head suddenly perks up and she turns to Tara, “Take Lex and get out of here.”

Tara nods. “Falling back time?”

Willow nods. “Falling back time.”

Tara nods and takes Alexis’ hand and Willow is left standing alone in front of the dragon-thing. “You should’ve really considered ascending in a town that isn’t filled with hundreds of slayers. I mean, are you even trying?”

The dragon-thing makes a wailing noise and Willow rolls her eyes. Tara, from her farther distance, looks to Xander. “Xan, you want to hurry up so my wife is no longer staring down a giant demon?”

Xander, equally as frustrated, nods. “Doin my best, Tare.”

Tara nods and Faith calls out from across the pavement lot. “We’re good on this side!”

Xander nods to himself. “Okay, okay. Will!” 

Willow turns back to him. “Forces up?”

Xander agrees, “Forces up!”

Tara watches, worried and Alexis looks up at the concern on her face and grabs her hand. “She’ll be fine, if she gets hurt you’ll be mad, and she wouldn’t risk that.”

Tara squeezes her hand and laughs softly. “I know. Thank you.”

Alexis nods and they both watch as Willow throws up a force field and at least fifty slayers pull up bazookas and aim them at the dragon-thing. The noise makes everyone wince but then, the dragon-thing collapses and Willow releases her shields. She smiles back at Tara. “See? Nothing to worry about.”

Tara shakes her head. “You’re everything to worry about.”

Alexis groans. “You’re both so gross.”

Xander laughs loudly from behind her. “I think this is the part where they’re supposed to dramatically walk towards each other and make out or something.”

Willow rolls her eyes at him. “You wish.”

Anya, from next to Faith across the lot, yells. “You better not wish, Harris!”

Tara laughs and wraps an arm around Alexis. “Are you good to go home now, or are we too gross for that?”

Alexis sighs deeply as the two of them start to walk away from the damage. “I  _ guess _ I could manage, if only for Egg and Daphne.”

Tara snorts and leans into the arms that wrap around her from behind. Alexis groans at the action. Willow laughs. “Faith has been doing that for years, you’re not going to make it stop.”

Alexis shrugs. “I’ll spend the rest of my life doing it in the faint hope that you two will stop being such dorks.”

  
She doesn’t say it. But she wouldn’t care if they never stopped holding each other's hands or smiling at each other across rooms or having obvious but silent conversations in the middle of chaotic moments. They’re her moms and she’s spent a little too much time being taught that love is conditional or a reward for good actions for her to  _ actually  _ care about how often they get sappy about each other. She figures Dawn has got the adoring daughter thing going on, so she can fill the role of annoyed daughter. She’s mostly just glad to be their daughter at all.


End file.
